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As the Rogues Rise
This is a WIP This is the first fanfiction I've ever posted, so feel free to give suggestions. A Warriors fanfiction by Abbyk79483 Allegiances Leader: 'Emberstar- Jet black tom with amber eyes '''Deputy: '''Hollowflight- Cream she-cat with white patches '''Medicine Cat: '''Ripplestorm- Slate grey she-cat with black spots (Apprentice, Blazepaw) '''Warriors: ' Sandfeather- Light ginger dappled she-cat with green eyes Skyfur- White and grey dappled tom with icy blue eyes Willowfang- Silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes and a patch of black on her muzzle (Apprentice, Littlepaw) Shadowtail- Black and grey tabby she-cat with blue eyes Icywind- White she-cat with blue eyes Twistedshine- Dark tortoiseshell she-cat Fogstep- Grey tom with blue eyes Sparrowtuft- Young black tom with green eyes 'Apprentices: ' Pebblepaw- Grey tom with green eyes Littlepaw- Grey and white spotted she-cat Blazepaw- Orange tabby tom, medicine cat apprentice '''Queens: Goldenfern- Spotted golden she-cat with green eyes -Tawnykit, a tortoiseshell she-kit -Breezekit, a pale grey she-kit -Pinekit, a brown dappled tom Elders: Clovertail- grey tabby tom, half blind Summary: Yet another set of sisters closer than brambles on a bramble bush, going on adventures side by side. When unfamiliar scents are found near ShadeClan’s border, Breezepaw and Tawnypaw are up to the challenge. After an important cat was lost in a border skirmish, tempers were lost with it. After a risky call for a meeting between the groups, battle breaks out, and only one group is left standing. Chapter One Tawnykit bounced around her mother’s paws, bursting with excitement. Her eyes sparkled, and her tortoiseshell fur glowed amber in the sunlight. “Will it be soon? I’ve waited forever,” squeaked a familiar voice from behind her mother. Her sister, Breezekit, and her brother, Pinekit, stood behind her golden fur, looking impatient. “It will be as soon as Emberstar comes back from hunting,” their mother responded, her eyes glowing with love and pride. “I’m sure you will all be great apprentices!” “I’m not an apprentice. I’m better than that. I am a warrior!” Pinekit hopped onto a patch of ferns and squeezed it between his paws. “I can even catch prey!” “I can too,” Breezekit mewed, padding up behind him. She unsheathed her tiny claws and began shredding the fern plant. “Hey, that was my' '''prey!” Pinekit squealed, leaping onto Breezekit’s back. Tawnykit watched with amusement as her littermates tussled together in a play fight. When they finally separated, she noticed a familiar scent growing stronger by the heartbeat. She turned to see her father, Skyfur, approaching. He padded straight to their mother. “Goldenfern, Emberstar just returned,” he mewed, giving her mother’s fur a few affectionate licks. “Are the kits ready for the ceremony?” “Yes,” she responded with a purr. “Breezekit and Pinekit were rolling around and I need to tidy up their fur. But they have definitely been kits long enough.” Their gazes drifted from each other’s to Tawnykit and her littermates. Tawnykit silently admired her father. His white and grey fur was sleek and glossy, and she could see muscles rippling under his pelt. ''I want to be as strong as my father when I become a warrior, she thought. “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath Highrock for a Clan meeting!” Emberstar’s yowl interrupted her thoughts. The black tom stood like an unmoving boulder on the Highrock, a silhouette against the setting sun. Her mother raced to Breezekit and Pinekit and began licking them frantically. Tawnykit watched as cats began to crowd around the Highrock. Breezekit and Pinekit bounced around the clearing before sitting beside a grey warrior named Fogstep. “As you know, we have an apprentice ceremony today,” Emberstar began. “Tawnykit, Breezekit, and Pinekit, please step forward.” Tawnykit shook her tortoiseshell fur and padded slowly closer to the base of the Highrock. Her littermates looked around, but then followed. Their pelts were sleek, reflecting the sunlight and giving it an amber glow. She was suddenly self-conscious when she noticed every cat staring at her, Breezekit, and Pinekit. How does Emberstar manage like this? Being the center of attention all the time? She grew used to it when their leader began the ceremony. “As you probably know, these three kits have reached their sixth moon, and it is time for them to be apprenticed.” Tawnykit grew comfortable with the Clan looking at her when she was reminded of the things she would get to do as an apprentice. She had never been let out of camp before, and Pinekit was the only one to make a catch. “Breezekit, Pinekit, and Tawnykit, from this day forward, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Breezepaw, Pinepaw, and Tawnypaw.” “Breezepaw! Pinepaw! Tawnypaw!!” The Clan chanted. Tawnypaw could hear her mother’s voice above the rest of the ShadeClan cats’. Emberstar continued. “Breezepaw, your mentor will be Hollowflight. Pinepaw’s will be Sparrowtuft, and Tawnypaw’s will be Sandfeather. And new mentors, you have proven to be loyal and skilled fighters, and I expect you to teach all you know to your new apprentice.” Sandfeather, Sparrowtuft and Hollowflight padded up to their apprentices, touching noses with them gently. Sandfeather’s slim ginger body was lined with amber light, and she looked beautiful. But she’s swift and kind, too. She will be the best mentor I could get! Just when Tawnypaw’s satisfaction was at its highest point, she remembered that Breezepaw had Hollowflight as a mentor. She was the deputy of ShadeClan, and she tried to push away regret about her thought that Sandfeather was the best mentor. Cats started separating, some padding up to Tawnypaw and her littermates to congratulate them, but Emberstar called them back together. “There is one more thing to be said,” he yowled, obviously impatient. When cats collected again beneath the Highrock, he continued. “Hollowflight has found something near the border while on a patrol this morning.” He nodded to his grey and tan deputy. “Would you like to explain?” Hollowflight nodded sternly and stepped forward. “Prey,” she stated vacantly. “A plump squirrel, flooded in unfamiliar scent, near the willow at the far side of the border.” She stepped back and sat down, eyes expressionless. Breezepaw may have a skilled mentor, but does she ever have any fun? Emberstar dipped his head and turned to the Clan. “There may be more cats here. But before we jump to conclusions, I would like to know if any of you caught it and left it there.” No cat spoke. Emberstar’s amber eyes narrowed to slits, scanning the camp. “Very well,” he mewed. “The new apprentices’ training shall start immediately at dawn. If there is a threat, we need to be ready. Hollowflight, set patrols for tomorrow evening. Icywind will guard the camp tonight.” Tawnypaw’s gaze drifted from Emberstar to Icywind. The young white she-cat’s brilliant blue eyes shone. Tawnypaw looked around for Sandfeather and her littermates. The sun had vanished behind the horizon, leaving only an eerie golden glow. She finally spotted them, crowded by cats. Even Clovertail, an elder, was coming up to congratulate them. Tawnypaw padded up to the group. Sandfeather padded over to her, beside a dark tortoiseshell. “Congratulations, Tawnypaw!” The tortoiseshell mewed. “Thanks, Twistedshine,” mewed Tawnypaw, dipping her head. Twistedshine smiled and padded up to a grey she-cat named Willowfang and her apprentice, Littlepaw. Tawnypaw padded up to her mentor. Pinepaw and Breezepaw were already talking with their mentors and getting to know them well. Sandfeather was turned around, watching them, when Tawnypaw approached. She smiled as the sand-colored warrior’s eyes lit up with excitement when she spotted her apprentice. Tawnypaw decided to start a conversation. “I’m so excited to start training,” she meowed. “So am I,” Sandfeather responded. “You have the most experienced mentor out of you and your littermates, you know. Sparrowtuft has never had an apprentice before. Hollowflight mentored Icywind before Breezepaw, but I have been a warrior longer than her. And I was a mentor to Shadowtail before you.” Tawnypaw’s gaze drifted from Sandfeather to Shadowtail, a black tabby across the clearing. She was a strong warrior- Sandfeather really was a good mentor. When she met Sandfeather’s gaze again, she found it filled with embarrassment. She probably thought she sounded like she was bragging, ''Tawnypaw predicted. She decided to change the topic. “The moon is above the horizon now. We’d better start to go to our dens with everyone else.” Sandfeather gave a nod of agreement. “Training starts immediately at dawn, so expect to be woken up early,” she meowed. Tawnypaw dipped her head and padded to the entrance of the nursery before she realized she wasn’t a kit anymore. She redirected herself to the apprentices’ den and stepped inside to find Pinepaw and Breezepaw already asleep. The two older apprentices, Littlepaw and Pebblepaw, were whispering in their nests, side by side. They looked up when Tawnypaw entered. “Congratulations,” mewed Pebblepaw. Littlepaw dipped his head and stood, shaking the moss off of her grey and white pelt. “We saved you a nest beside your littermates,” he explained, padding to it. Her brother followed, smiling. “Littlepaw and I lined it with feathers as a welcome gift to our den.” Tawnypaw blinked, surprised. “Thank you,” she mewed, curling up in her new nest. She closed her deep green eyes and drifted into sleep quickly, to the sound of Littlepaw and Pebblepaw’s synchronized pawsteps back to their nests. '''Chapter Two' ' '''Breezepaw woke up when a paw prodded her side. She gave a yawn and opened her eyes to see Hollowflight, her mentor. Her silver pelt was dappled in a creamy yellow, and her green eyes were stern and focused. She sat, still as a stone, beside her nest, gazing emotionlessly at her. “Morning, Breezepaw,” mewed Hollowflight, still looking into the distance. “You, Icywind and I are going on patrol. I believe Ripplestorm and Blazepaw are coming with us to collect herbs.” Breezepaw nodded and yawned again, slowly bringing herself to her paws. She followed Hollowflight out of the den and across the clearing to the medicine cat’s den. Ripplestorm and her apprentice, Blazepaw, sat outside, their fur sleek and reflecting the sun. They both carried borage- Breezepaw recognized it immediately because it was given to her mother when she was a kit. Ripplestorm gave a quick nod and dropped the borage. She padded up to the patrol group, Blazepaw at her tail. Icywind had joined them. “Are we ready to go?” asked Hollowflight, looking around at the cats. “Yep!” Breezepaw’s boredom immediately turned to excitement. She had never been out of camp before- at least beyond the training hollow. She turned back to Hollowflight, whose gaze was still stern as ever. ''I see why she’s called Hollowflight, she thought. ''Good and active, but her fun is.. hollowed out. The patrol padded out of camp in silence. Breezepaw took the back, beside Icywind. The white she-cat smiled when Breezepaw padded up to her and walked beside her, matching her pawsteps. “This is the first time you’ve been out of camp, right?” Icywind asked. Breezepaw felt relieved that the awkward silence was broken, and responded, “Yeah. Well, I snuck out to the training hollow with Tawnypaw once, but only for a minute.” Icywind gave a ''mmrow ''of amusement. “What you ''thought was a minute,” she mewed with a smile. “Hollowflight was my mentor, you know. Before she was even the deputy. She will be a great mentor to you, I promise,” she mewed. “I hope so. But.. does she ever have any fun?” Breezepaw instantly regretted her words. Hollowflight perked her ears and turned around, meeting Breezepaw’s gaze with a hard stare. The patrol froze for heartbeats that felt like moons, but then Hollowflight turned back and padded on with a flick of her tail. Embarrassment flooded over Breezepaw. She felt Icywind’s flank brush hers. “She has a lot on her mind,” she mewed calmly. “At the end of the day, she’s really fun.” Reassured by Icywind’s words, she scented the air. The many unfamiliar scents of the border overwhelmed her, but one scent was stronger and fresher than the rest. She decided to ask. “What’s that weird cat smell? The one that’s really fresh?” she mewed, now calm talking to the patrol. Hollowflight answered with an impatient mew. “''What cat scent? There’s no such thing, Breezepaw. No cat scent you shouldn’t recognize.” ''Of course there’s no scent. No scent I wouldn’t know, Breezepaw tried to tell herself. Hollowflight’s words echoed in her mind, but she couldn’t push away the scent- It was too strong. Has Hollowflight got bees in her brain? Or do I? “Breezepaw’s right!” Blazepaw’s astonished mew snapped Breezepaw out of her daze and back into the patrol. It took long heartbeats for her to make sense of the golden tom’s words, but when she did, she felt waves of hope rush into her mind. I don’t have bees in my brain! Blazepaw scents it too! “Oh Breezepaw.. you’re right,” mewed Hollowflight, her muzzle in the air and eyes narrowed with confusion. “Breezepaw, you have more sense than I thought. That’s not normal, Breezepaw..” Her voice trailed off. Breezepaw felt relieved. Thank StarClan! I already had the reputation of a mousebrain with Hollowflight.. I don’t need any more. Suddenly, Hollowflight’s words hit her- that’s not normal. Her emotions became mixed. I may have warned my Clan of danger! But we don’t need danger, especially with leaf-bare approaching. “It smells like a cat for sure,” Ripplestorm commented. The medicine cat shook her silver pelt as though trying to shake away the tension that hung perceptibly in the air. She lowered her muzzle, deep in thought. “A rogue, maybe?” “Quite possibly,” Hollowflight mewed, giving an approving nod to the idea. “Or a loner,” Blazepaw added, eyes clouded with both fear and curiosity. “I’ve heard they’re nicer than rogues.” “Because they have no ‘territory’ and no ‘hunting grounds,’” Icywind explained. “There’s no reason to protect what you have when you don’t have anything at all.” Hollowflight gave another nod. “Let’s hope for the worst, though. We’ll be prepared. Remember the mouse at the border yesterday? We may have caught that cat.” It was just when the patrol began to turn back when rustling leaves made Breezepaw’s ears perk. The patrol froze, but the crunch of undergrowth under a cat’s paw remained. There was definitely another cat. Suddenly, her vision was blocked by a brown tabby’s pelt. She tried to make sense of who it was, but no cat in the patrol had brown fur. The mystery scent was flooding over her, and the crunching of leaves had stopped. The cat we were looking for.. is right in front of me. '' Breezepaw gave a yowl, but no cat responded. ''Did the rest of the patrol flee? Or did I wander off? The brown cat was staring at Breezepaw with eyes narrowed to slits. She decided she had to confront him. “Who are you?” she demanded. She tried to sound brave, but her voice trembled. The brown cat remained silent. Nothing moved- nothing but the two cats’ fur bristling up and flames of anger burning in their eyes as they stared, wordlessly, into them. '' '' Chapter Three “It was the cat, I’m sure.” Tawnypaw watched as Breezepaw paced aimlessly around the dirtplace tunnel. “The one who stole the mouse?” she asked, utterly confused. Breezepaw had called her and Pinepaw to a private meeting, but she was perplexed as a wild kit in a Twoleg den. “What happened? Step by step?” Pinepaw asked, looking more curious than confused. Breezepaw, looking thankful a specific question was asked, mewed, “We went out on patrol and I embarrassed myself in front of Ripplestorm and Hollowflight, but then I scented something unusual. I had never been out of camp before and thought it was normal, but it smelled like another cat.” Pinepaw’s ears perked as though it was an elders’ tale. Tawnypaw rolled her eyes. “Hollowflight looked at me like I was a mousebrain, but then Blazepaw scented it too. Hollowflight finally got the scent, but then I found this weird.. brown tabby fur. It was the cat we smelled, I know it. He stared me down until I fled.” “You’re sure ''it’s the same cat?” Tawnypaw asked, still a bit puzzled. “Absolutely. I tried to get his name, but he didn’t speak.” Breezepaw stopped pacing, but her eyes stared of into the distance. ''Is there something she’s not telling me? Suddenly, Twistedshine emerged from the entrance to the tunnel. Her eyes narrowed, very confused, when she saw the three apprentices. “Well, what a surprise! What do you happen to be doing away from your mentors on a nice day to train?” “Um, uh..” Tawnypaw tried to come up with an explanation, but Breezepaw interrupted her. “We’re going on the sunhigh patrol. With Sparrowtuft and Sandfeather.” Twistedshine narrowed her eyes. “Very well.” When Twistedshine left, Pinepaw leapt to his small brown paws. “What did you do? ''I had a day off, and you set me up for a patrol?” Tawnypaw’s confusion was immediately replaced with amusement. “A day ''off? ''Great StarClan, Sparrowtuft’s making you lazy!” '''Chapter Four' The sun-high patrol padded through the shady trees, silent as the breeze that blew golden leaves off of the branches and sends it floating, gracefully, down. Breezepaw walked beside her littermates, still deep in thought about the confrontation with the brown cat. Sandfeather, who was leading the patrol, mewed, "I smell a cat's scent. Is this the scent you smelled, Breezepaw?" Her mew was interestingly calm and confident. Breezepaw scented the air to find much of the scent. "Yes.. I think so." "It seems close," Sparrowtuft observed, his black muzzle in the air. "Sure does," Pinepaw mewed, padding casually beside Tawnypaw, who remained silent. Am I the only one the least bit scared? "Should we try to find the cat?" Breezepaw suggested. Sandfeather turned to look at her. She braced herself for Sandfeather to snap at her, but her deep green eyes were calm and thoughtful. "Maybe we should. But remember, we just want to know their name and why they're here, not whether or not they want to battle." Pinepaw padded up to Sparrowtuft, matching his mentor's steps. Breezepaw shifted closer to Tawnypaw, who seemed to be the only other cat doubting Breezepaw's idea. Sandfeather lifted her muzzle to scent the air again. "This way." The patrol padded, silent again, towards the scent. Doubt flooded Breezepaw's mind. What if I just led the patrol into danger? What if the cat attacks? What if there's more than one cat? Finally, the scent grew strong. The trees opened up into a wide clearing. The scent of several cats overwhelmed Breezepaw- she got them confused with prey and her own Clanmates' scents. She tried to peek through the undergrowth- she had to fight back a gasp when she saw a patch of brown fur beside some longer, white fur. This is the cat. Well, the cats. I was right- there ''was ''more than one. Confident as ever, Sandfeather padded into the clearing. Pinepaw tried to follow, but Sparrowtuft intercepted him. "Let Sandfeather do this." They watched through a thin bush of brambles as the two cats in the clearing turned around and began to hiss threateningly. The brown cat stepped forward and, eyes narrowed, growled, "Who are you?" Sandfeather blinked. "Who am I? ''Let's start with who ''you ''are, and why you're here." The brown cat's eyes widened a little. "Very well. Let me introduce myself. I am Hawk, the proud leader of the Daunting Rogues. This is Peak," Hawk waved his tail at the white she-cat, "And you're on our land." "''Your ''land?" Sandfeather took a step forward. Her words were bold and showed no regret. "For one, we would win a battle against a little ''rogue pack. ''But first, I'd like to make it clear that this is rightfully ShadeClan's land. I am Sandfeather, a senior warrior, and I, with moons of experience, would leave if I were you." "You think you can beat our cats?" Hawk's growl was lower than before, and his eyes were narrowed to glowing amber slits. He swiftly lashed out with his paw and struck Sandfeather. Breezepaw jerked as Sandfeather's ear tore, and she felt herself fall forward, eyes wide, as she heard Sandfeather yowl in pain. She, too, gave a yowl when a bramble scraped her eye. The world fell silent, blank, and empty. All was still, in a world of complete darkness. -*~*- "Huh?" Breezepaw opened her eyes to find herself in Ripplestorm's den. Relieved she wasn't blind, she looked around. Blazepaw was standing over her. In the background, she saw Ripplestorm inspecting Sandfeather's torn ear. She immediately remembered her eye and noticed the sting of the bramble scratch. She had never been in so much panic before. "Calm down," Blazepaw mewed. "I know what to do. Just let me see your eye." Breezepaw struggled to keep her eye open, but was determined to get it healed and continue apprentice duties. ''And get revenge on that mousebrained rogue. Blazepaw inspected her scratched eye and blinked, tilting his golden head. "Quite a scratch there. But some celandine will do it." "Do it, please," Breezepaw begged, thinking about all the activities she was missing. Blazepaw disappeared behind a screen of ivy and emerged with the yellow flower of a celandine plant. "Sit up, please?" Breezepaw tried to follow his orders, but her eye stung and she felt exhausted. She finally managed to sit upright, and struggled again to open her eye. Blazepaw cracked the stem and let the juice trickle into Breezepaw's eye. Her eye stung more when the juice touched it, but the pain was gone when Blazepaw was done. "You may want to stay inside of camp for a day or two," Blazepaw instructed. "But you will be very useful here. Get caught up on cleaning out nests so you won't have to do it later." "I may ''want to? So I can go if I want?" "It's up to Ripplestorm and your mentor," he mewed, getting impatient. Breezepaw, determined to get to continue apprentice duties, dashed out of the den to see Hollowflight only to be intercepted by Goldenfern, her mother. She remembered, only two days ago, bouncing around her paws as a restless kit. ''And now look at me. "Well, what brings you out of the den so quickly? What were you doing, spying on rouges? And falling into brambles? That is what happened, as I hear." Her eyes were clouded with worry and concern, but Breezepaw could sense disappointment- maybe even anger- in her voice. "It.." Guilt and regret flooded over Breezepaw as she spoke. "It was my fault. I suggested we find the rogue, and we followed the scent, but there were two rogues- the brown one I saw yesterday was Hawk, and the other was Peak." Breezepaw's mother slowly gained interest in her daughter's explanation, perking her ears and nodding every once and awhile. "Hawk said he was the leader of.. the Daunting Rogues, I believe. He was more vicious than we thought. When Sandfeather told him to get off our territory, he aimed a blow for Sandfeather and tore her ear.. and I fell into the brambles because I was so surprised." "And you scraped your eye?" Goldenfern's eyes were now wide with worry for her kit. "Yeah, but I'm fine. ''Blazepaw said I could continue duties if Hollowflight said I could, so I'm going to ask her." "Very well, but be careful," her mother mewed as she stepped to the side. Breezepaw's vision was a bit blurry, but she was able to spot Hollowflight across the clearing, speaking with Littlepaw and her mentor, Willowfang. She padded up to them "Hollowflight?" "Yes, Breezepaw?" Hollowflight's voice was surprisingly calm and wecoming. "Well.." Breezepaw struggled to find the right words. "You know how I scraped my eye. Well, Blazepaw said I could still train tomorrow if you agreed. Her eyes narrowed, but she nodded. 'Very well, but if you need to stop, ''stop." Chapter Five "That's perfect! Just keep your tail low." Sandfeather was instructing Tawnypaw as she attempted a hunting crouch. It was her first training session as an apprentice, and she knew she was overconfident. Her littermates, training beside her, were still struggling to keep their underbellies low. "You've really got this," Sandfeather meowed, utterly impressed. She gave a blink of satisfaction and looked at her littermates. Seeing Breezepaw, she remembered the rogues- how Sandfeather had her ear torn by Hawk and how Breezepaw fell into the brambles. She was suddenly eager to get revenge on the rogues for injuring her mentor and her littermate, but she knew she would get ripped to shreds if she confronted Hawk directly. Tawnypaw tried to come up with a plan in her mind, but Sandfeather's training and waves of guilt interrupted her thoughts. __FORCETOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__